{"id":26829,"date":"2020-10-05T16:57:20","date_gmt":"2020-10-05T23:57:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dminlgp\/?p=26829"},"modified":"2020-10-05T16:57:20","modified_gmt":"2020-10-05T23:57:20","slug":"the-most-important-step","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/the-most-important-step\/","title":{"rendered":"The Most Important Step"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cThere is nothing that man fears more than the touch of the unknown.\u00a0 He wants to see what is reaching toward him and to be able to recognize or at least classify it.\u00a0 Man always tends to avoid physical contact with anything strange.\u201d \u2013 Elias Canetti<\/a>[1]<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

We stand at the precipice of the unknown.\u00a0 A myriad of emotions whirl inside as we stare at the blank canvas that is the next stage.\u00a0 Anxiety and fear permeate our base instinct, but it wrestles with the constant push and pull of wanting to find joy, excitement, and wonder in that moment.\u00a0 We ask ourselves, \u201cWhat is the most important step a person can take?\u201d\u00a0 We validate ourselves that the journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step.\u00a0 We place our emphasis, our hopes, our dreams, on that first step and yes \u2013 it is important.<\/p>\n

But it is not the<\/strong> most important step.<\/p>\n

A step into the unknown \u2013 the realm of unknowing, of mystery, of adventure \u2013 is a heavy step.\u00a0 \u201cEverything hinges on this step, this first moment.\u00a0 With this step we are no longer bound by what we know.\u00a0 We\u2019re finally free.\u201d\u00a0 With a deep breath, we take that first step and the weight disappears.<\/p>\n

But immediately, a voice whispers ever so softly, \u201cCome back.\u201d\u00a0 We\u2019ve taken the first step, but doubt clouds our mind, our hearts, our actions.\u00a0 We cast a look over our shoulder and see everything we have ever known.\u00a0 It\u2019s brilliant.\u00a0 Lights beam from the tall towers we\u2019ve have a hand in building.\u00a0 Everything we\u2019ve known and loved is locked away in those ivory towers that stand as a testimony to who we are.\u00a0 Comfort, security, love, friendship, finances, family \u2013 everything our heart desires.\u00a0 \u201cWhy do you want to leave?\u201d<\/p>\n

Why <\/em>do we want to leave?<\/em><\/p>\n

Our eyes snap forward.\u00a0 The path ahead is shrouded in fog with shadowy shapes prowling through the swirls of mist.\u00a0 Our mind begins to play tricks as the shadows grow to gargantuan proportions, red glowing lights flicker on and off, and we hear the soft cackle of derision from those who have always doubted our step.<\/p>\n

Why would we ever <\/em>want to leave?<\/em><\/p>\n

Longing springs up in our heart, filling the space that terror of the unknown has bred in us.\u00a0 Doubt clouds our mind once again.\u00a0 We lift our foot, but it isn\u2019t in a forward direction.\u00a0 It hovers in the air, trying to discern the proper path.\u00a0 \u201cThere\u2019s no shame in going back.\u00a0 They\u2019ll understand.\u00a0 They have <\/em>to understand.\u201d\u00a0 Our leg trembles as it slowly inches back.<\/p>\n

But again it stops as a soft light glows further ahead in the distance.\u00a0 The mist is not dispelled, but it catches the eye in a most curious way.\u00a0 It isn\u2019t bright, but it is<\/em> an invitation.\u00a0 We don\u2019t know what the invitation holds, but it is whispering in a voice even quieter than the first, \u201cCome<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCome.\u00a0 Take the step.\u00a0 Step into the adventure that awaits. The path is not easy, but at the end it will have been worth it.\u00a0 Trust Me.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cCome, Expert.\u00a0 Together we take this step.\u201d<\/p>\n

With fear and trembling, we take a step.<\/p>\n

What is the most important step?\u00a0 It\u2019s not the first.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s the next<\/em> step.<\/a>[2]<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

<\/a>[1] Quoted in Steve D\u2019Souza and Diana Renner\u2019s Not Knowing <\/em>(London: LID Publishing Ltd, 2014), 108.<\/p>\n

<\/a>[2] Brandon Sanderson, Oathbringer <\/em>(London: Gollancz, 2017), 1131.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u201cThere is nothing that man fears more than the touch of the unknown.\u00a0 He wants to see what is reaching toward him and to be able to recognize or at least classify it.\u00a0 Man always tends to avoid physical contact with anything strange.\u201d \u2013 Elias Canetti[1] We stand at the precipice of the unknown.\u00a0 A […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":129,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[1020,1896,1889],"class_list":["post-26829","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-journey","tag-step","tag-unknown","cohort-lgp10"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26829","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/129"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26829"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26829\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26830,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26829\/revisions\/26830"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26829"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26829"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26829"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}